Yeah, but what about the patina? ;-] David I. ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: gordon stelter <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 09:26:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Cleaning keys again >No, it really isn't. I recommend that all tuners take >a junk action, and experiment themselves.( And inform >me of any refinements ) After the action parts are >thoroughly dry, there will be no discernable >alteration in their dimensions ( or certainly nothing >normal regulation does not attend to ) and you will >have clean, bright, odorless parts ready to refelt, >lubricate and install. Actions are built from woods >known to be resistant to warping, and I have never had >any problem. Even grand jacks line up in the balancier >window just fine, after all is dried out thoroughly. >And you save tremendous amounts of time normally spent >scraping off old felts, while beathing yuck. > Sincerely, > Gordon Stelter > P.S. For gluing on action felts I like >"Eileen's Tacky Glue", or equivalent, available from >craft and fabric stores. It is a PVC glue FAR thicker >than the watery stuff supply houses sell. Holds the >felt first time, every time. >--- David Ilvedson <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> wrote: >> Come on, this is a put on, right? >> >> David I. >> >> >> >> ----- Original message >> ----------------------------------------> >> From: gordon stelter <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> >> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >> Received: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 16:24:21 -0700 (PDT) >> Subject: Re: Cleaning keys again >> >> > Thanks for asking! >> > I'm very tired now and may not relate this >> >well............but it all started when I brought >> home >> >a GORGEOUS 1885 Rosewood Weber.... that a rat had >> died >> >in! >> > After nearly dying myself ( I had put it, >> >uninspected, right next to my bed!!!) I started >> >wondering how to sanitize such messes. >> > The Weber was toast....no hope there... but I >> >experimented with it, and this is what I developed: >> >1) Have an OUTDOOR area to dismantle pianos, FAR >> away >> >from your shop! Covered. A portable car-port is >> great, >> >and an old aluminum bakery "box van" works better, >> as >> >you can later drive it to the car wash and hose it >> >out.( Sending old pencils, paperclips, etc. into >> the >> >sump. ) If you have neither, get several slabs of >> >rigid foam insulation and tarps to cover the piano >> at >> >night, if you can't dismantle it in one day. Do not >> >use woven plastic tarps with grommets alone, as >> they >> >are not completely waterproof. Put a thick plastic >> >drop cloth underneath, then the foam, then the >> woven >> >tarp held down with weights or bungees. >> >2)Dismantle the piano and blast everything out >> >thoroughly with compressed air, when the wind is >> NOT >> >blowing towards your neighbor's pie safe, new paint >> or >> >clothesline! >> >3)Remove your sample hammers, other hammers ( if >> you >> >will use new butts) and the hammer and spring rail. >> >4)Go get a gallon of "Super-Clean" from an auto >> parts >> >store, ( auto paint stores sell an equivalent, far >> >cheaper. I get mine $3/gallon!) >> >5)Hook an industrial grade rubber hose up to the >> drain >> >cock on your water heater, and run it out to the >> >driveway, or somewhere you don't mind the runoff >> >contaminating ( they claim this stuff's >> >"biodegradable" but I wouldn't want it in my >> garden!) >> >6) Set the action on the driveway or somewhere your >> >neighbors will not scream about, spray the Super >> Clean >> >all over it with either a hand-held squirt bottle, >> or >> >an insecticide pump-type dispenser. Let it soak in >> >about 15 minutes, then HOSE DOWN THE ACTION!!!!!!! >> > ( frame and wippens ) with hot water. An >> abominable, >> >reeking, meftic brown ooze will slobber all over >> the >> >place, the color of old motor oil, along with the >> >action felts ( as you blast them away ). Keep >> blasting >> >until the suds die down, repeat if necessary. >> >8) Dismantle the action, and place the pieces on an >> >aluminum screen in the sun, or in a breezy place ( >> I >> >use window fans) flipping them regularly. >> > I suppose you could dismantle the action >> first, >> >dunk the pieces in super clean, rinse and dry, but >> I >> >prefer the convenience of an assembled action, >> which >> >allows aiming the water jet directly at stubborn >> >felts, etc.. >> > But you don't want to let it dry assembled, as >> >the flange screws will leave iron stains on the >> action >> >parts, and rust in the wood. ( though the tops will >> be >> >clean and very shiny! ) >> > Once the wippens have dried, you will have >> VERY >> >clean parts which almost look brand new!!! Ready >> for >> >refelting! This is especially handy for player >> pianos, >> >and others with unavailable parts. Or just to save >> >money. Remember, that the wood used in actions was >> >chosen for hygrometric stability and, I have found, >> >will not warp if dried correctly. One or two >> flanges >> >may separate if machined from a glued up lumber, >> but >> >that's no big deal. Just reglue them. ( Clothesins >> >make good clamps for this ) I have also found that >> >this process frees gummy center pins BEAUTIFULLY--- >> >just right, in fact, for all but concert work!( >> Once >> >they are lubricated during reassembly with Protek >> ). >> > At this point I am sure that many of you are >> >laughing hysterically at what an idiot I am. To >> which >> >I humbly reply SHUT UP AND TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >> >Take a filthy, junk action, and try it yourself! >> YOU >> >WILL LAUGH NO MORE!!! No more days spent scraping >> off >> >old felts while breathing stinking, disease bearing >> >filth!!! No more guilt from placing filthy actions >> in >> >the homes of hygienic, unsuspecting customers ( who >> >would scream if they ever looked inside Grandma's >> old >> >"restored" upright! )No more guilt from very >> possibly >> >giving their 5 year old daughter some nasty >> >( usually respiratory ) disease as she is forced to >> >practice on it! Think about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >> > Back to the case. >> > I don't try to mic wires in the piano. I take >> a >> >sample from each unison, lay it between 2 strips of >> >duct tape and mic them all at once. >> > Once the plate is out, I strip the case, have >> >masked over the tuning pin holes. Old uprights >> usually >> >use shellac on the soundbaord, which washes right >> off >> >lacquer thinner, blasted from a spray gun. I don't >> use >> >straight alcohol as it can weaken hide glue joints. >> >Don't forget the back. The crap on the back ( old >> >uprights ) can take a day to remove by this method, >> >with 3 gallons of lacquer thinner, using a bottle >> >brush to scrub between the posts and board, etc.. >> What >> >collects at the bottom of the posts can >> periodically >> >be dumped out by tipping the piano on its back. I >> get >> >a mountain of those big cardboard boxes furniture >> >stores throw away for it all this to slop onto, >> with a >> >big plastic tarp underneath. The boxes then can be >> >left in the sun to evaporate off the thinner, and >> >discarded or burned. >> > Keybeds are especialy nasty, and I generally >> use >> >superclean, scrub and hose on them, drying rapidly >> >with rags and breeze. Not in sun! And never use >> >chlorine bleach inside a piano, as it will make >> things >> >rust---forever. I have thought of oxalic acid for >> >keybeds ( & keys? ), but not tried yet. Anyway, >> >several coats of paint ( epoxy's best) on keybed >> will >> >hold in any residual stench-----unless there has >> been >> >pervasive rodent habitaton, in which case NOTHING >> but >> >a gallon of kerosene and a match will cure it ( >> after, >> >of course, removing the keys and knocking out the >> >leads which can be dumped in the used wheel weight >> bin >> >at your local tire store ). >> > The keyframe can similarly be scrubbed with >> Super >> >Clean and a little brass detailiung brush, hosed >> and >> >hung up to dry. Remaining odor held in with spray >> >paint, after putting soda straws on the keypins. >> Here >> >again, presence of paint should actually help keep >> >action in regulation. >> > Disclaimer: Wear serious protective gear >> >throughout this process, including rubber boots. >> >SuperClean will burn a hole through your skin if >> >allowed to set. A mist of it in your eyes will give >> >you a torrid headache! I go "Full Bug" --- knit >> hat, >> >raincoat with hood, gas mask, face shield (AND >> >goggles), elbow length serious chemical protectant >> >=== message truncated == >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs >http://www.hotjobs.com
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